Khan Believes In Blaine Gabbert

With the Jacksonville Jaguars in the thick of the search for their new head coach, one of the factors that will weigh into a coaches interest will be being saddled with quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Typically, coaches like to bring in their own quarterback when they take a new job, unless there is an established one in place. The Jaguars certainly don't have what I'd call an "established" quarterback in Gabbert, but he is for lack of a better word entrenched. The team as it stands is committed to him for at least the 2012 NFL season and new owner Shahid Khan knows this is a factor.

"I want honest opinions on what people think," Khan told the Florida Times-Union. "If we made a mistake with Gabbert, tell me now. Tell me what I need to do. If most of them are saying this isn't the kid you ought to be sticking with, frankly, we'd have to take a look at that. They're saying, 'No, the kid has talent.' They could say, 'You made a mistake, he's a fourth-rate quarterback.' Not one of them has said that."

It's certainly possible (and likely in some cases) that coaches are just telling Khan what he wants to hear, but I can't think a coach would want to lie his way into a job where he will be saddled with a quarterback he doesn't actually want or think will be any good, especially when all signs point to Khan and general manager Gene Smith being committed to Gabbert.